Machine for delivering postage-stamps, tickets, and the like.



G. L. RICHARDS. MACHINE FOR DBLIVERING POSTAGE STAMPS, TICKETS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.25,1913.

1.114,912. Patented 0%.,211914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTD-LITHU.. WSNINOYUN. D. C.

l G. L. RICHARDS. MACHINE POR DBLIVERING POSTAGE STAMPS, TICKETS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1913.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

75l/zweeg. @M /M@ THE NORRIS PETERS C0.. PrlomLlrn-., WASHING 10N. D. C

UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LIVINGSTON RICHARDS, 0F LONDON, IELNGLAnNI),` ASSIGNOR; TO INTERNA- TIONAL STAMP ANI) TICKET llVIACI-IINE` COMPANY, OF KITTERY, MAINE.

MACHINE FOR DELIVERING POSTAGESTAMPS, TICKETS, AND THE LIKE.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914:.`

Application filed August 25, 1913. Serial No. 786,560.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE Livines'ron RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at London, 1n England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Machines for Delivering Postage-Stamps, Tickets, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for delivering postage stamps, tickets and the like more particularly in strip form, for example, from a storage reel or the like, which machine may be rendered operative by the action of a coin or token representing the amount `tendered in payment for such articles.

The invention comprises novel means for feeding the strip of stamps, tickets or the like and for detaching one or more thereof from said strip. yIn machines of this class considerable difficulty has been experienced i in accurately `feeding the strip and in detaching the stamps or the like at theperforations or scored portions of the strip at predetermined intervals, especially when the strip is not made continuous end has been joined together at intervals, the joints being irregularly effected.

The invention broadly comprisesi a` table on which the strip to be fed is placed, a reciprocating feed-arm `at one side `of said table provided withone or more sharp teeth or equivalents adapted to engage perforations or joints in the strip to feed the latter, and on the other side of said table an arm having a cutting member adapted when the feed-arm has reachedthe end of the table to coact with the tooth or teeth on said feedarm to sever the strip exactly at the perfo rations or joint and thus detach a portion from said strip.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a `side elevation of the machine. Fig.`2 is an end elevation from the right hand side of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a plan view; j

The apparatus comprises a stationary plate or table 1 upon which the strip of stamps m" or portion thereof taken from a storage reel 2 `and passed about a guide roll 2a is laid in a predetermined position, the reel 2 being shown as mounted ona bracket 2b extending from the base-plate 2O of the machine. The table is longitudinally grooved as at 3, either throughout, or as shown for a portion of its length, andabove said table l, is disposed a flat slotted spring member 4l, pivoted at 4 in lateral plates 1* extending upward at each side of the table. The strip is inserted betweensaid table and the spring member 4 and the latter bears lightly on the strip to maintain same in intimate Contact with the table 1. Above the said table l, is disposed areeiprocating arm 5 carried by arms 5 pivoted on a shaft 5b mounted in a slide block 11 provided with rollers 11 bearing on the base-plate 20 and adapted to be reeiprocated on said base-plate by suitable `means (not shown) applied to one or both `projecting ends of said shaft 5b.

The arm 5 is provided at its forward end with a se ries of angularly disposed sharp teeth (S, in the construction` shown these teeth being formed on a plate 6 secured byscrews 6b to the armand coinciding with the grooves 3, in the table 1. slots with which the aforesaid spring member 4 is provided to engage the perforations or joints in the strip so that as the arm `5' moves in the forward direction (to the right of `Figs. land 2) it will engage said perfo-` rations or jolnts in the strip and feed the The teeth extend through"` engaging the curved end 29 of said spring.,

member Il. The arm 5 is adapted to travel in a rearward (to the left) direction beyond the length of the stamp or other article to be fed so that on its forward movement it will not fail to engage the next line of perforations or joint in the strippthus compeneating for any inequalities or irregularity in said perforations or joints.

The arm `5 is lightly pressed by a spring 1 7 (the pressure of which is adjustable as by a set screw 71) toward the strip, and as the forward or feed movement progresses also presses with its projection 17 with increas ing force on the tail 29 of the aforesaid fiat spring member 4l, thus releasing the strip of the pressure of said spring member dur,-`

ing the feed movement, the arm 5 being guided in its movements by lateral projections 8, at the forward end of the arm engaging in the forward direction under camplates 9, disposed at each side of the path of travel of the arm on the plates 4b before referred to. On the return movement of the arm 5 projections 8 move over the upper surfaces of the cam-plates, the arm being tilted for this purpose by the spring 7 acting on an enlargement 5C at the rear end of the arm and the forward ends of the .cam-plates beA ing curved as at 9EL to assist this action. The arm 5 is thus carried clear of the strip on its return stroke.

Located below table 1, is al reciprocating arm 10, pivoted on the shaft 5b in the slideblock 11, said arm 10, being` provided at its forward end with an angularly disposed knife or blade 12 which when said arm 10, has reached the end of the table 1, is caused to meet the teeth 6 of feed-arm 5, and engage or coact therewith to sever the strip exactly at the perforations or joint, the table 1, being preferably chamfered at its forward edge as at 30 to assist or permit this shearing action. This movement of the arm 10, is effected through suitably shaped levers 14, loosely mounted on shaft 5b on either side and provided with a curved face at 15,

which during the forward movement of the slide-block 11 engages a roller 16 mounted exteriorly one on each of the side plates 4b, the levers engagingextensions 10a of the arm v10, and acting thereon to rock the arm about its pivot, whereby the cutting action of the knife is produced at the proper time, 0n the return stroke, the arms 5 and 10 are again separated, the former by moving up over the cam plates 9 as described and the latter by the action of a spring 13 carried by the slide-block and acting on the arm. The levers 14 are held in their normal position in contact with theextensions of arm 10 by means of springs 14a which permit the curved parts 15 thereof to trip past the rollers 1G on the return stroke.

Immediately afterthe strip is in position for cutting the fiat spring 4 again engages same by the projection 17 on arm 5 having pass-ed over the tail 20, thus. preventing movement of the stripr during said cutting or during the return movement of the feed g arm. Adjustment of the spring 4 is made by set screws 18 at each side engaging extensions 19 of the spring 4.

A roller 21 mounted to slide vertically in bearings 22 normally bears on the strip of stamps but drops into a recess 23 in the table when the last stamp or ticket has passed from under said roller. The roller coperates with a rod 24 which normally engages a lever Q5 carried by the standard 2, consequently when said roller drops the lever 25 is released and through suitable devices (not shown) actuates means by which the coin aperture 1s closed 1n a manner vwhich will be readily understood. l

1 do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts hereinbefore described and illustrated in the dra-wings, since the same may be varied within limits prescribed by the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln said claims the term stamps is intended to include tickets and the like previously referred to. v

`What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. 1n a strip feeding and cutting machine, the combination with a fixed table over which the strip to be cut travels, of a strip feeding member on one side of said table adapted to swing toward and from the same to engage the `strip and to move longitudinally of the table to advance said strip thereover, a swinging cutting member on the opposite side vof the table adapted to move longitudinally in unison vwith the feeding member, and means for causing said members to swing' toward each other and coact at the end of the feeding movement to detach a portion from said strip.

2. Ina strip feeding and cutting machine,

the combination with a fixed table over which the strip to be cut travels, of a strip feeding member on one side of said table adapted to swing toward andl from fthe same to engage said strip and to move it longitudinally of the table a definite distance, projecting teeth on said member to positively engage said strip, a swinging cutting member on the opposite side of said table adapted to move longitudinally in unison with the feeding member,`I and means for causing said feeding and cutting members to swing toward each other and coact at the end of the feeding movement to detach a portion from said strip.

3. 1n a machine for delivering stamps, the combination rof a support to receive a strip of stamps to be fed, a pivoted reciprocatory member on `one side of said support having a plurality of teeth at its forward edge to engage and feed said strip along said supaort a aivoted reci arocator cuttin meml a ber on the other side 'of said support, and means for rocking said feeding member and said cutting member toward each other at the end of the feeding movement to cause them to coact and detach a stamp from said strip.

4. 1n a machine for delivering stamps, the combination of a table to receive a strip of stamps to be fed, a feed member at one side of said table adapted to convey the strip along same, a cutting member at the other side of said table, said members coacting at the end of the table to detach a stamp from the strip, resilient means adapted to normally exert pressure to hold the stamps against the table and means operated by the movement of the feed member during its feeding movement to release said pressure.

5. In a machine for delivering stamps, the combination of a table to receive a strip of stamps to be fed, a feed member at one side of said table, teeth at thepouter end of said member adapted to engage and feed the stamps along said table, a cutting member at the other side of said table, a blade carried by said cutting member' adapted to coaet With said teeth to detach a stamp from the strip when said members reach one end of said table, an adjustable pivoted spring member adapted to normally bear on the stamps, and provided With slots for passage of the teeth of the feed member, a deflected f tail to said spring, and a projection on the `feed member adapted to engage said tail to relieve the pressure of the spring on the stamps.

member to produce the oscillations thereof, y

trip levers connected to the cutting member, fixed abutments engageable by said trip levers for oscillating said cutting member in one direction and a spring for oscillating said cutting member in the opposite direction.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of tWo witnesses.

GEORGE LIVINGSTON RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

P. M. JORDAN, W. J. CADMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the .Gommissioner` of Patents,

Washington, `I). C. 

